Shinigami Rider
by AlKorKrus
Summary: A Bleach/Eragon Crossover that is mainly from Ichigo's POV. What would it be like if Ichigo were to be sent to Alagaesia and trained as a Rider? T for mild violence.
1. The Beginning

A Crossover fic between The Inheritance Cycle and Bleach.

SPOILER ALERT: The major spoilers are for the Inheritance Books as the story takes place in that world

(During the fight with Sōjirō Kusaka at the end of the Diamond Dust Rebellion Movie)

Hitsugaya was injured, all the other Shiniami were having enough trouble with Sōjirō's regenerating monsters. Leaving Ichigo as the only Shinigami that was inside the barrier with the power to stop Sōjirō.

He looked at the large azure dragon that Sōjirō had become with the absorption of the King's Seal and had a moment of fear.

_How can I beat him? He was split in half by Kenpachi's attack and just regenerated. This is impossible!_

He felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and knew who's it was without looking. "So old man Zangetsu, have any advice?" He asks his Zanpakuto.

"Only that you must part with the fear that you hold, it will be impossible to beat him only as long as you think it is."

"I think that your crazy if you believe that I can beat him!"

"Use Him, he is the other half to your power."

As Ichigo reaches to summon his mask Kusaka's forehead started to glow with the light of the Seal.

"Hit him there! It is the point that his bond to the Seal is formed!" Zangetsu exclaims.

As Ichigo completes the summon of his Hollowfication he is hit with a beam of the golden light. He falls to his knees as his normal body envelops his Shinigami body and he looses his sword. _How?_ Is all he can think as another bolt of the light hits him and he hears his enemy yell.

"Begone from this dimension!"

Ichigo is blinded by the light and as he covers his eyes he feels feels the sensation falling. When he has felt he has landed he hopes that he is not in Hueco Muendo trapped in his human body. He opens his eyes to see a clear blue sky above him. He gets up and notices a small city to his left and a dirt road leading up to it next to him. His next observation is the forest on all other sides. He reads a sign next to the road.

The sign reads "Welcome to Therinsford."


	2. The Gate Fight

Ichigo wandered the streets of Therisford keeping to the shadows. He definitely didn't want another meeting of the type that he got when he was at the gates.

* * *

><p>Without a way to go back to the battle Ichigo started towards the city wondering at his location. He was nowhere in Japan if the name of the city was any indication. As he got closer to the gates he noted that the guards were dressed in light plate mail, judging from the glint the sun had off of them. When he was within hailing distance the guards, who had been waiting for someone to come and relieve them of their shift, came to attention. Then everything went downhill. The guard on the left looked at Ichigo strangely and when he stepped forward Ichigo saw that the man has armed with a sword.<p>

"Could you guys tell me where this is?" Ichigo asks.

The guard was puzzled, 'Now why would someone on the main road wonder where he is?' After a second he replied, "Well, this is Therinsford and I have a question for you. Where did you get that strange garb?" and gestured towards Ichigo's clothes.

"Well I bought them if you think I stole em'!" Ichigo snaps at the startled guard. "I read the sign back there and I know where this is but I want to know where Therinsford is so I can get back to where I was." He countered, an agitated look in his eyes that worried the guards.

"I think you should come with us," The second guard replies, reaching for Ichigo. "We don't need a strange man that don't know what country e's in to mess up the king's..." The sentence was cut short by Ichigo flipping the guard over his shoulder and dropping to the packed dirt. The other guard charged at Ichigo, sword raised. He saw the man's posture was exposing to much of himself for the man have had much experience in actual swordsmanship. Ichigo kicked the guard in the face and carried the momentum to stomp on his face as he fell. He bent over and picks up the guards sword and turned around to points it at the first guard, who was just recovering.

"If you leave me alone, I will leave you alone. Ya got that?" Ichigo threatens.

"HELP! I NEED REINFORCEMENTS!"

Ichigo hears, or rather feels, the thudding footsteps of a dozen more guards as the guard continues yelling.

Cursing under his breath at the yelling guard Ichigo dropped the sword and ran into the city, turning just in front of the group of guards and running until he is sure he has lost them.

Ichigo then tries to sneak back to where he came into the city thinking '_No one will suspect me to show up again there!_' He continues on his way nearly bolting again when a strangely large cat with abnormally intelligent eyes landed in front of him. Then he heard it _talk_.

'_Where are you headed young one?_'

'_It's just like Yoruchi._' He thinks, as the cat spoke again but did not move its mouth.

'_Now I don't know about another werecat named Yoruchi, and I know of all werecats in Alagaesia.'_ The cat speaks to Ichigo.

Before Ichigo can ask how the cat was talking without it's mouth, reading his mind, or what a werecat was for that matter, his attention is taken by a sound of thunderous wingbeats that had been raising during his 'talk' with the cat. Ichigo looks up to see a large blue dragon fly overhead.

'_Hyorinmaru!_'

Ichigo looked more closely at dragon and saw that the shade of blue was too dark, the wing shape too flesh looking, and too large to be the 10th Division Captian's Bankai. The cat cocked his head to one side and looked at him quizicaly.

'_How could you not recognize the King's Dragon?_' the cat said.

Ichigo's stupor at the sight of a living dragon was broken as he realized the cat wasn't being heard by his ears, but his mind.

"How can you speak to my mind, and for that matter, read my mind as well?" Ichigo asks of the cat.

'_Well that is a rude first question._' The cat replies in a hurt tone. It was obviously toying with him.

"What do you mean by that!"

'_Well let's just say that my name isn't 'Cat'_'

"Well then, what _is_ your name?"

'_That's better. I'm called Solembum._'

"Well I'm Ichigo. Introductions over. Now answer the questions!"

'_Well all sentient creatures have the ability, some just require training._'

"Well I've never heard of that ability outside of fiction books."

'_Answer me this Ichigo, where did you come from to not have heard of though-speak, or the King and his Dragon?_'

Ichigo tensed at the question, after a second he said to the cat "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

'_Well tell me anyway, I am certain I have heard stranger things._'

So Ichigo told the cat what had happened, starting with Rukia jumping into his window all those nights ago.


	3. The Stones

When Ichigo finished his story he took a breath, feeling both relieved and anxious. He was waiting for Solembum to start calling him an idiot or something similar. After a second his scowl returned and glared at the cat and asked, "Well?"

'It is quite the far-fetched story, I will admit. It was, however, very long and intricate, many places to slip and stumble, exposing the lie. I think I will believe you.'

After that Solembum looked off at the angle to the way Ichigo came into the city and said.

'I want you to meet someone. Follow me.'

Ichigo, not knowing what else to do let the cat lead him onto the street. After a few turns they were at the back of a large, cheering crowd lining the main road. Ichigo couldn't see over the people, so he climbed on top of a nearby crate and saw a man unlike any other he had seen.

The man was tall, fairly tanned, and obviously strong as he was carrying an intricately engraved metal box, at least one yard in all dimensions, and was having no trouble whatsoever. The man was wearing highly polished armor that was of much better quality than that of the guards. Then Ichigo noticed that there was a large, jeweled sword on his hip. Something on the man's head glinted, drawing his attention. Ichigo was confused at what he saw. The man had pointed ears. Long pointed ears! On top of those ears he saw the gold band that drew his sight. It was inlaid with many jewels, dominated by a large diamond in the center.

The man continued to a large wooden stage that had a long table sitting upon it. He approached the table and set the box down taking a large key out. At that Ichigo noticed that there was no keyhole on the box. As the man placed the key on the center of the most heavily etched face of the box he said something that Ichigo didn't hear over the crowd and the box opened on unseen hinges and seems. He reached in a produced three large ovular stones. The first was a soft purple that made Ichigo think of when he had last seen Sojiro. It was also etched in what looked like bronze. The next was a stone that was a vibrant yellow that had streaks of inlaid white. The last was a stone that was a shade of black so deep that Ichigo only knew it reflected light by the shine it had on its polished surface. Its surface of black was only broken by the shine and thin lines of deep red.

As the man set the last of the stones down Ichigo realized that the reason that the open area of the pavilion in which the stage was open was a wall of guards on the inside. One of them idly glanced at Ichigo and noticed that he met the description of the man who had injured the guards at the North gate. The guard pointed Ichigo out and started yelling.

"Seize him! He is here! The intruder from the North gate!"

At this the man on stage turned quickly, hand falling to the hilt of his sword. By this time the crowd had parted forming a living corridor to Ichigo. The man drew his sword and shouted "Brisingr!" To Ichigo's amazement, the sword, which was a beautiful shade of blue, erupted in flames. The nearest guards advanced on Ichigo, with the man with the flaming sword jumping half the distance between them. Solembum then landed in front of the man, having jumped from a nearby rooftop.

The man started at the sight of the cat.

"Solembum? What are you doing here?" The man asked.

After a second the man's sword was extinguished and he shouted at the guards to stop. They had just reached Ichigo who looked just as surprised as the guards at the sudden shift in mood. The man then said,

"Ichigo, step forward and you will be the first to be tested to be a Rider today."

Ichigo stood there stunned.

"What is he talking about?" He paused for a second looking to see if the strange man would elaborate. Ichigo yelled at the man, "Why would you want me, someone you don't even know to-"

The man was then in front of Ichigo, reaching to grab his hand. Ichigo jumped back and finished his sentence in the silence that followed.

"To join with you. I take it Solembum told you my name. Nice speed, by the way, but Iv'e seen faster-"

The man then said something under his breath that Ichigo couldn't make out and felt a great weight on him legs. The man walked up to Ichigo, who was panicking at the sudden resistance to his movement. The man drew up to Ichigo and spoke in a low voice.

"I would have let the guards have their way with you if not for Solembum's intuition. He seems to think that you can be a Rider and I will let you try, but if you try to escape I will stop you and let the guards have you."

As if they heard this last statement the guards started to inch closer to the pair.

"I don't seem to have a choice, do I now?" Ichigo replied, eyeing the large cat who was sauntering into the crowd.

The weight left Ichigo's legs as the man turned back to the stage. The man seemed to sense that Ichigo wasn't following him and looked back to wave him forward. Ichigo started walking towards the stage, feeling the crowd's collective stare follow him as he went. When he reached the stage he was signaled to stop by the man. The man started to address the crowd.

"I, Eragon Shadeslayer, wish to all of you a chance to test the eggs, so take all of the children of age to line up behind this man."

At the end of the sentence the silence of the crowd broke into quiet murmuring as a line of children broke from the crowd. Ichigo guessed they were about ten to thirteen. When the children had formed a group in front of the stage Ichigo noticed that the they were looking at his clothes. He started to open his mouth to tell at them to mind their own business when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Eragon.

"It is time for you to see if Solembum was right."

Ichigo approached the first stone and was at a loss of what to do, so he looked at Eragon.

"Touch it."

Ichigo laid his hand on the purple stone, and nothing happened, so he went to the next stone he placed his hand on it and elicited no reaction from it either. Ichigo approached the black stone and when he touched it he felt his pulse quicken. He looked at Eragon. The man then signaled an old man from a group of guards over to him and as the man was coming he faced the crowd and said in a loud voice,

"A new Rider has been found!"

Ichigo stood in front of the newly silent crowd, speechless. There was no sound but the heavy breath of the old man. Then one of the children started to clap, and the rest of the crowd followed with cheer's.

'What did I do, I touch a stone, and the man thinks I can be a "Rider"!'

Eragon quickly led Ichigo to the old man that was beside the stage. The man then lead Ichigo to the Inn on the edge of the crowd. When he got inside the building the first thing Ichigo did was ask the man what had happened.

"You seriously don't know!" The man asked incredulously.

"Well I'm new here so, yes! Otherwise I wouldn't be asking!"

The man looked at Ichigo stunned. Then he sat down and told Ichigo the story of the Dragon Riders. He told him of their strength, magic, and of their old home on an island called Vroengard. He then continued in a lower voice, one filled with sadness, and told Ichigo about a mad king called Galbatorix and the chaos he created. He finished in a stronger voice with Galbatorix's defeat at the hands of Eragon. When the story was told it was Ichigo's turn to be stunned. Then Eragon entered the Inn, having found no new Riders in the crowd. The old man turned around slowly and said to Eragon,

"I think that you will need to find a different Rider."

"Well Jeod, I would have let him be at the mercy of the guards if not for the word of Solembum."

"So the were-cat is to blame for this shoddy boy. He's not familiar with the Riders, nor know about the previous king , he isn't particularly strong-"

At the last comment Ichigo stood up and struck the table. Jeod stopped talking to turn back to him.

"Just because I needed your little history lesson to know what in the world was going on here doesn't mean I'm weak."

The two men looked at each other. Then Eragon said,

"I will have the officials at The Games see for themselves whether you are as strong as you say."


	4. The Choosing

Ichigo stood there stunned.

"Me, riding a dragon..." He paused for a second looking to see if the strange man was telling the truth.

"You must be crazy!" Ichigo yelled at the man, "Why would you want me, someone you don't even know to-"

The man was then in front of Ichigo, reaching to grab his hand. Ichigo jumped back and finished his sentence in the silence that followed.

"To ride a dragon. I take it Solembum told you, as you know my name. By the way, nice speed, but Iv'e seen faster-"

The man then said something under his breath that Ichigo couldn't here and felt a great weight on him legs. The man walked up to Ichigo, who was panicking as he couldn't move his legs. The man drew up to Ichigo and spoke to him in a low voice.

"I would have let the guards have their way with you if not for Solembum's hunch is possibly right. He seems to think that you can be a Rider and I will let you try, but if you try to escape I will stop you and let the guards have you."

As if they heard this last statement the guards started to inch closer to the pair.

"I don't seem to have a choice, do I now?" Ichigo replied.

The weight left Ichigo's legs as the man walked to the stage. The man seemed to sense that Ichigo wasn't following him and turned to wave him forward. Ichigo started walking towards the stage, feeling the crowd's collective stare follow him as he went. When he reached the stage he was signaled to stop by the man. The man started to address the crowd.

"I, Eragon Shadeslayer, wish to all of you a chance to test the eggs so take all of the children to line up behind this man."

At the end of the sentence the silence of the crowd broke and a line of children broke from the crowd. Ichigo guessed they were about ten to thirteen. When the children had formed a group in front of the stage Ichigo noticed that the they were looking at his clothes. He started to open his mouth to shout at them to mind their own business when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Eragon.

"It is time for you to see if Solembum was right."

Ichigo approached the first stone and was at a loss of what to do, so he looked at Eragon.

"Touch it."

Ichigo laid his hand on the purple stone, and nothing happened, so he went to the next stone he placed his hand on it and elicited no reaction from it either. Ichigo approached the black stone and when he touched it he felt his pulse quicken. He looked at Eragon. The man then signaled an old man from a group of guards over to him and as the man was coming he faced the crowd and said in a loud voice,

"Alagaesia has a new Rider!"


	5. The Egg

Ichigo made his way to the host city of the Games, this year it was Ceunon, through the way of Carvahall, the town were Eragon apparently grew up in. It was destroyed in a battle with something called the Ra'zuk, or was it Ra'zac? He couldn't remember. He left Therinsford with the Stone (that was actually an Egg) and made it to town at dusk. He looked at his traveling companions, the old man Jeod, and the Rider/King Eragon. He had sent his dragon Saphira ahead to hunt in the nearby mountain range that cradled the valley they were in, called the Spine. When they got to Carvahall they went to a small castle that was situated in the middle of the town.

In the Castle they were greeted by a man by the name of Lord Roran he was Eragon's cousin and they spent a few minutes making small talk before a woman named Katrina showed him to his room. The given room was lightly furnished and after he got settled a man he hadn't seen before knocked on the door. When he answered the man said that he was a tailor and that Roran had sent for him to make him clothes for the next day. After taking some measurements the man packed up what he had brought and asked Ichigo about his clothes.

"I have never seen clothes of that kind before; may I know what that material that is?" The man then pointed at his jeans.

"Oh, that's denim. It's nothing fancy." At this the man appeared to be stunned.

"That 'denim' you speak of is very high quality! Its weave it so tight! How could it be plain!" Ichigo was surprised at the man's words.

"Well where I came from this is actually quite common, there are machines that make it in yards per minute." He replied. Ichigo saw the man draw a breath for another question, but he cut him off.

"I won't tell you were that is. You wouldn't believe me anyway." At this the man was obviously disheartened.

"Very well," the man said, "I will be off then." As the man left Ichigo was worried that he had put the man off, but he knew that he would be seen as insane if he had told the man. Ichigo was later brought dinner by Katrina and was told that she was the wife to the Lord, Roran, and that he had fought in the war against the previous King. Even going so far as to evacuate the town when all hope of defending against the Ra'zac was lost. He was apparently keeping Eragon company, but wanted to see him in the morning. After giving her a thanks for the food he sat down at the small rooms only desk were he had put the egg. Ichigo ate some of the food and thought about what had happened. After a while he decided that it was best not to think about the past and went to the bed.

As Ichigo slept he dreamed of Karakura Town and of Rukia, Chad, Ishida, Inoue, and of his other friends at school. He dreamed of his family and of his comrades in Soul Society. He dreamed of a normal day, a day with only two Hollow attacks and no mention of the Arrancar or the Visoreds. He dreamed he heard a crack.

'Wait a minute.' Ichigo thinks. 'That's not part of the dream.' He fought against the sleep and won quickly. As he sat up in the bed, his ears picked of another, louder crack. It was followed by another sound, a thud, as something hit the floor. Ichigo opened the window above his bed with a quick motion and the light of the full moon lit up the room enough to let him see what had made the disturbance. A large black lizard was on the floor, slipping as it tried to right itself as it was covered in a slimy film. When the lizard got upright it stared at Ichigo. Ichigo got down off of the bed and went over to it, crouching down to see it better. The dragon started to lick off the slime and as it did so he noticed that the lizard was the same shade of black of the egg. He looked to the table and to no surprise found that the egg was in pieces. He looked back and recognized the dragon for what it was. His. He watched the dragon finish cleaning itself and look back at him. He reached out to stroke it and when he made contact with the dragon his skin started to burn. He reacted to the pain with a jerk and off balanced himself. He fell over with a cry of pain and knocked his head against the bed's leg.

Ichigo fell asleep for a second time.


	6. Fast Learner

Ichigo woke on the bed of his room and wondered why his head hurt. Then he remembered the last night's events and sat up quickly, surprising the little boy that had been watching him sleep. He looked over to the desk and saw that it had been cleaned he looked back to the boy and yells,

"Did you steal the egg shards? Where is the dragon?" The boy was quite calm at Ichigo's voice.

"My uncle threw the shards out and cleared the little guy out of the castle. You sure have weird hair mister." The boy was smiling at Ichigo.

"Well who is your Uncle?" Ichigo asked in a more civil, but still urgent tone.

"That would be me." The voice came from Eragon who stood in the open doorway looking at the pair.

"Come on out of there Garrow, go play with your sister. The man probably has some questions he'd like answered." The new voice came from Roran behind Eragon. Eragon stepped aside to let the boy out and Roran to enter. The man was large and muscular and wore a simple brown outfit.

"Looks like you took a nasty tumble." He said, and as Ichigo got up from the bed he smelled the unmistakable sent of cooking pork. The other men smelled it as well and Roran said,

"My wife seems to be done with Ichigo's meal so let's talk over his breakfast!" He turned back around and headed downstairs with Eragon close behind. Ichigo got dressed from the clothes the tailor had provided. The tailor had provided a green outfit that was surprisingly comfortable and Ichigo found that his head had been bandaged and his palm had an oblong circle that was a silvery color.

Downstairs Ichigo ate as Eragon and Roran made small talk. Ichigo heard them mention things such as the weather, reports about the life of the nearby farmers and other such mundane things that Ichigo tuned them out. When he was finished eating Ichigo interrupted them to get to the matter at hand.

"Where is it?" After a pause Eragon was the first to answer.

"I think that you would like to know that he is in a clearing not far from here and is doing fine."

"The dragon's a guy then. Well then, what is this?" He held up the palm of the hand he touched the dragon with.

"That is the Gedwey Ignasia, the symbol of the Rider."

"O.K. then lets get to that clearing" It was Roran who spoke this time. Before Ichigo got up Eragon held up a hand to signal he sit and got up himself. He went behind Ichigo and removed the bandage from his head. Eragon then put a hand over the spot that Ichigo had hit his head and spoke.

"Waise heil."

Ichigo felt a cool sensation on the wound and put his hand through the orange hair to check the spot. Roran gave Ichigo a pack that contained a canteen, a tent, and his cloths, as well as a few more sets that had come from the tailor. After that they all left to the clearing.

When they got to the clearing it was almost nightfall by the way the sun was inching toward the hills of the valley's west slope. Ichigo was stunned at the sight of a large blue, sparkling dragon on the far side of the clearing. As he looked in amazement he heard a rustle to his left and when he looked to it he has hit by a fast black, catsized blur. The now knocked over Ichigo looked at the dragon and saw that in the sunlight his scales reflected a deep red that matched the color of blood. He then saw that he had yellow eyes that eerily reminded him of the description of his Hollowfied look. Roran let out a loud laugh that scared the nearby birds out of the trees. At the sound of wingbeats the smaller dragon looked up at the birds. Ichigo felt an outside sensation of hunger and as he watched the dragon it lift its membraneous wings that were a shade of dark grey, and the next thing he knew the weight of the dragon was off of his chest and he heard a sharp cry and the feeling of hunger was gone. The dragon had launched itself off of Ichigo's chest and hit a bird in mid-flight as it flew away from Roran's laughter. The black dragon was about twenty feet away from them with a blue bird in its mouth, eating it quickly. Roran's laughter was cut short and Eragon stood with his mouth wide open with a look of pain in his eye's. After a second the pain left and was replaced by a look of amazement.

"How is that possible?" Eragon exclaimed. "A dragon should not be able to fly for at least a month after hatching!" A cool, soft, feminine voice entered Ichigo's thoughts.

'I was as astonished as you are when I saw his do that the first time. He's like a black arrow the way he flies. I will say that he saw me fly off once to hunt and when I got back he was jumping around, snatching birds out of the trees until he was full.'

"I will tell you one thing," Eragon began, "that is the fastest I have seen a dragon move."


	7. Attacked

After the event of his two night old dragon flying at supper speed Eragon looked at the sky and decided that it was time to camp. After setting up their tents and a fire, courtesy of Eragon's dragon Saphira, the group started to talk about what Ichigo's future would contain. Eragon started the conversation and Ichigo's dragon perched on his shoulder.

"Ichigo, I am going to leave you in the care of the elves of Du Weldenvarden for your training as a Rider."

"I thought that it was unwise for the new Rider's training to start with the elves if they wern't one themselves." Roran argued with his cousin.

"Well I wouldn't if not for the mysterious qualities that he and his dragon possess." Eragon counters.

"Wait a minute, what do you mean our powers? I don't have any as a human." Ichigo butted into the conversation. He was tired of being talked about as though he wasn't there. "I have some training already, but what can I expect of these," he paused for a moment, unable to believe what he was about to say, "Elves you were talking about?"

Roran and Eragon were startled by his outburst and Eragon moved to answer him but at that moment an arrow protruded from Roran's shoulder and he groaned painfully as he slumped over, grabbing the shaft as he turned the slump into a roll, causing him to take shelter behind Saphira. When Roran was hit Ichigo and his dragon were both tackled as a group of people dressed in black cloaks and a red sash across the chest came out of hiding. While this happened Eragon stood and unsheathed his sword, causing the seven strangers closest to him to back up slightly, before charging forward again. Saphira let out a bellow that shot out a large column of blue fire to splash itself against the robed assailants with little force. Ichigo heard the dragon growl as she swept her tail into the fire-proof attacker.

While this happened Ichigo's dragon was grabbed and shoved into a large leather sack, squealing helplessly, its own counter attack ineffective on the gloved hand that held it. Ichigo got up and went to chase after the thief, but has blocked by another robed man. The man drew a long, curving sword and lunged at him. Ichigo dodged the attack and punched the man in the face. As the man drew breath to yell Ichigo tripped the man with his foot behind the retreating leg, and disarmed him as he fell. Ichigo took the sword for himself and continued his chase with the thief. After a few minutes the fire was out of sight and Ichigo followed the sounds of the thief's passage in the forest when the sound stopped and Ichigo burst into another, larger, clearing, facing the thief.

The man was in the center of the clearing with his sword drawn. The man's hood had fallen off, revealing a face that had been burned badly at some time in his past. The scar tissue shone in the light of the now mostly full moon. The bag was on the ground and moving from the dragon's struggles. Ichigo and the man circled for some time, then without warning the man charged at Ichigo and he met the slash of the sword with the sharp of his own blade. The two swords jarred and a large chunk fell off of the end of the thief's blade and Ichigo's own sword had a large gouge in the metal. Ichigo and the man jumped away from each other and circled again. Ichigo thought to himself,

'I don't have Zangetsu anymore! I need to treat swords in this world with more caution.'

The two circled longer and when the man charged he shouted words that he had last heard at Therinsford and he felt a familiar pressure on his legs. 'Not this again!' The man charged at Ichigo, who, working on instinct and adrenaline pulled his sword back to his shoulder. Ichigo felt an even more familiar power surge through him as he swung the sword in a downward slash while the man was still three yards away. As he swung he shouted "Getsuga Tenshou!" and a large black flame gathered around the blade, and shot off of it to hit the man square in the chest and smashed him into the far tree line destroying four trees and leaving the fifth tree broken and crawling with the black fire.

Ichigo stood amazed at what he did, wondering how it could be done without his Shinigami form when he dropped the stolen sword that had become a red bar of heated metal from the attack. Ichigo went over to the bag and released his dragon. As soon as he opened the bag the dragon's thought's collided into his mind and Ichigo felt like he would drown in the creatures combined fear and anger. When the dragon realized that it was Ichigo the mood of the thoughts changed to gratitude and joy.

Ichigo then felt another mind touch his and he realized that he could now tell when his mind was being detected. Ichigo reached out to the other mind and heard Eragon's voice tell him to stay were he was. A few minutes later Saphira landed in the clearing and Ichigo saw that Eragon and a wounded, but otherwise fine, Roran was on her back. When they dismounted Eragon started to head towards him but stopped when he noticed the destruction of the far side of the clearing. Eragon turned back to Ichigo with a troubled smile on his face and said,

"Are you still wondering what powers I meant?"


	8. Shinigami Magic

Eragon walked over to Ichigo and checked on his dragon. When he was certain the dragon wasn't damaged he walked toward the site of the Getsuga's impact. He surveyed the scene and when he saw the man he cursed under his breath at the damage that had been done to him. He then call Ichigo over and voiced his concern with him.

"When I trained to be a Rider one of my lessons was to always keep my eyes open to the world and sense all those that would cause harm to us." He looked at Saphira as he said this.

"This attack was without warning, I couldn't sense the minds of the Du Gata, also they had enchanted robes that couldn't be caught aflame." He stood brooding for awhile as he thought. Ichigo remembered the opening on the bag and the flood of the dragon's mind.

"When I opened the bag, the dragon's mind was open to me, when it was closed I couldn't feel his mind in the slightest!" Eragon looked stunned, went over to the leather bag. He crouched down and picked it up. He then focused his mind on the bag, trying to find any enchantments, but to no success. Roran, seeing his frustration, spoke a thought that he had.

"Say cousin, is it possible that the cowardly buggers put a sort of shield over the enchantments?" When he was done speaking Eragon thought it over. He then put a minor ward on the bag and checked again.

"It's not there!" Eragon could not find his ward on the bag. He then put it on his belt, walked to Saphira, and in one quick, lithe motion he was in the hollow between her spikes and said to them that he would recover their lost gear.

When Eragon returned they sat in the larger clearing around a new fire, mending the tents that had been broken by the attackers. Eragon had recovered as much of their supplies as he could salvage and when he was done with the last tent he questioned Ichigo about his attack.

"Ichigo, what did you say to produce the attack that ended the man over there?" He then gestured to the trees that Ichigo's attack had broken. Eragon thought that it would be Brisngr.

"I used an attack from my world, one called Getsuga Tenshou."

"I don't know what those words are in the Ancient Language, do you know what it means?"

"It is not in your magical language, but I still know what it means. It means Heaven-Piercing Lunar Fang." Eragon was startled at this as he didn't know of magic that didn't follow the Ancient Language, even sorcery was bound to it.

"How does that correlate to such a destructive force?"

"I'll show you." Ichigo walked over to the sword he used earlier and, after checking that it was a safe temperature, he picked it up and stood facing the earlier destruction. He felt inside for the power he felt before and after searching for a while he found it. When he was immersed in the power he opened his eyes, pulled the damage sword back, and shouted "Getsuga Tenshou!" With a powerful swing he released the bolt of black fire, destroying another seven trees in the process. Again the sword had become red hot and he dropped it to avoid burning himself. When he turned back around Eragon had a dumbstruck look on his face, as did Roran. Even Saphira seemed to be impressed. Ichigo looked at his dark dragon, who was near invisible in the firelight, and felt a sense of approval from him. Eragon composed himself he said,

"The first thing we will do for you is get your Rider Sword so you don't go ruining every good blade we come across."


	9. Names

Ichigo was puzzled. He wondered what Eragon meant by a Riders Sword. When he voiced this question to Eragon the man laughed.

"Did you not notice that when I used my sword it also burns? When you used that one it became hot from the fire. The sword of a Rider is made to be indestructible to all but the most powerful forces of Alagaesia. Watch" As Ichigo watched he drew his sword and held it straight. "Brisngr!" The sword burst aflame and after a while stopped. Eragon then placed the flat of the blade on his hand and suffered no injury. Ichigo was amazed at the idea of receiving a sword as good as Zangetsu.

"Ok, but why does your sword burst into flames when you say Brisngr?" Ichigo asks.

"Well the language of magic describes the true nature of things and the true name of my sword is Brisngr," At this his sword flashed on fire for a brief second. "Which is the word for fire. Whenever I say it while in contact with the sword that happens. The reason it doesn't follow the rule of its name simply being sword in the Ancient Language is that a Rider's sword is an extension of their soul." Ichigo was still troubled.

"Will I be able to get a sword to my battle style? The one I used before was special as well. Also the type is not the same as the kind I have seen here." Roran then spoke up.

"Don't worry boy. The swords of Riders are forged just for them. I am certain you will find it to your liking." Eragon then said

"Ichigo that will be awhile from now and I'm also sure that Rhunon will make a mighty blade for you, but for now let us think of something else, such as a name for your dragon."

"I don't think it will understand the name we think up. After all he can't understand language yet." Ichigo felt Saphira in his mind as she said,

'He will now if the name is the right one. All dragons can feel their correct name.'

After about an hour of shooting names off the dragon and receiving naught but disapproving feeling from the dragon Ichigo was about to give up when a thought struck him. He looked to the dragon, remembering the speed at which he moved. He said his thought aloud to the dragon and said,

"Is your name Shunpo?" The dragon then had a wave of approval roll off of him. Eragon looked at Ichigo wondering what the name meant. When Roran beat him to the punch Ichigo replied,

"The name is of a technique I knew for fast movement that can only be seen by those with the highest reflexes." Eragon was again wondering what the boy beside him had done before his arrival in Alagaesia. He then asked Ichigo,

"Tell me, what all powers did you posses before you came here?" Ichigo tensed at the question, then he started speaking slowly, but gathering strength as he continued telling them of his Shinigami powers. They sat, amazed at the tale of the strength Ichigo had possessed and when Ichigo got to his last ability, Hollowfication, he opened his mouth to speak of it then thought better and let his mouth shut, words unspoken. Eragon was the only one who noticed his omission, but before he could pursue the matter Saphira let out a loud noise, opened her large maw and let her tongue out and curl at the tip like a cats when yawning, for that is what she was doing. She then broadcast to the group that she was turning in and that Eragon should join her. Abandoning the thought Eragon joined his dragon as she curled into a living tent for her Rider. Roran and Ichigo took this time to prepare themselves for sleep in their own tents and prepare their bodies for the next day.


	10. Snapped

Ichigo dreamed of the battles he fought. He dreamed of the horror of fighting Kenpachi when he couldn't damage him, of when he was stabbed and left for dead only to be revived by Zangetsu. He dreamed of his fight with Kingfisher when his blade was dull and still he fought, until it used his mother against him. He dreamed of his rescue of Rukia, ending with his near disemboweling. In his fevered dreams Ichigo saw his friends fall from wounds he wasn't there to defend them from. He saw, the inside of his tent.

Eragon had woken him with his mind when he heard Ichigo's thrashing and it was daylight anyway so he spared him from the nightmare that was tormenting him. When Ichigo came out of his tent he looked as though he hadn't slept at all, with dark circles under his eyes and a tired stagger to his step. The part that Eragon noticed most was even though he had felt the fear and pain from Ichigo's dream, Ichigo still had a gleam of determination in his eyes that told Eragon that he would be a deadly person to cross. Eragon asked him about his nightmare saying,

"Ichigo that was quite the bad dream, those battles in your head where against monsters I can't begin to comprehend! At least they were only in your mind." Eragon baited Ichigo with the idea that his reams were fake, thinking so himself. Ichigo had crawled from the tent bare-chested and Eragon saw no scars from his ordeals. He was disturbed when Ichigo let you an emotionless laugh and replied,

"If you saw my dream I will tell you this, they were real." At this Roran, who had come out of his tent as well cut in with,

"What is this about?"

The silence that followed was palpable. When Ichigo spoke he recounted the memories the nightmare had drudged up from his soul. When he finished with the tale of Aizen gutting him the cousins didn't believe him. Eragon was

"I cannot begin to find truth in these words, you have no mark upon you from those ordeals!" At this Ichigo broke, snapping at them with,

"I was healed by a friend who had powers greater than simple healing like you did to my head at the castle! She could rewrite time to make the injury never happen in the first place!" In a lower tone, almost to himself he added, "She was more than a friend..."

When his venting was over he noticed the dragon's worry in his mind. The black reptilian beast had grown overnight. He was the size of Solembum and stood at his knee. Ichigo let the dragon in his mind and found the loneliness he had felt since his arrival slack off of him greatly. He gave Shunpo a light grin that was in stark contrast to his normal scowl. As this happened Eragon went to Saphira and gathered his supplies and motion for Roran to do the same. When Ichigo woke from his reverie he saw that they had started packing he was tempered by the dragons mind and instead of continuing the argument he started packing his gear as well.

When this was done Roran bade them farewell saying, "I need to return to Katrina, I have been away from her for too long and she will miss me." At his words Ichigo felt a pang of the sadness return and his memories brought an Image of Orohime to his minds eye. Eragon and Ichigo started heading northeast out of the clearing in a silence that was mutual. Saphira flew overhead and away from them at a quick pace to scout out any members of Du Gata. Ichigo then mention them to Eragon,

"When the attack happened you said they were the Du Gata, what does that mean?" Eragon then replied with,

"Everyone has enemies Ichigo, I have them in the Dwarves, Urgals, Elves, and Humans alike. You probably have made some from Du Gata for foiling their dragon snatching and in Therinsford for disrupting the peace.

"The group called Du Gata started when, at the end of the war Jeod told you of, we defeated Galbatorix and put Nasuada on the thrown. The Varden had a group of Spell-casters called Du Vangr Gata, The Wandering Path. Their leader Trianna was killed by an assassin not long after for reasons I don't know, although I suspect that it was over her knowledge of sorcery. Without her and with me busy trying to rebuild the Riders the group fell into chaos. One man among them started a cult of sorcery among them, telling them he had found the True Path and they would wander no more. When he was discovered he started a religious mania among his followers and rebelled the group the was sent to stop them. Three of the sorcerers made themselves into Shades more powerful then I had known to previously exist.

"They abandoned the area they had and were thought to be around a place called Helgrind, a place no sane individual would wish themselves. What they are doing up here disturbs me greatly.

With his explanation complete Eragon proceeded to teach Ichigo about the elves and their customs of greeting until Ichigo thought his head would explode from the barley contained knowledge. They stopped at another clearing and set up camp, this time with wards to warn them of an attack.


	11. A Boat and an Angry Elf

The morning as bright and uneventful night had them in good spirits. Ichigo asked about the other Riders in Alagaesia and found that at least one Rider had been culled from each of the races except humans. There was another human, Murtagh, around in the North. He had left to find some peace and quiet with his dragon, but Ichigo knew this from Jeod's story. Ichigo asked about the other races but only received a cursory gesture.

Shunpo perked up his head and started to make a sort of purring noise. Ichigo tried to question the dragon, but only found jumbled emotion in his head. The three of them were headed downhill when Ichigo smelled a lake, and within minutes they saw Saphira picking clean a deer at the side of a large lake. After so long in the forest Ichigo was surprised by the body of water and the breeze that came off of it. Shunpo jumped from his perch on Ichigo's shoulder and into the water with his super flight. The speed of the dark lizard made a tunnel in the water where he had entered. Ichigo watched the ripples and saw that there was a boat behind Saphira.

Eragon was headed to the boat to talk with the man that was at the head. Ichigo took another look at the man. He noticed that his movements were very fluid, almost like he was dancing. When his words reached Ichigo, they sounded like they were song.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin, Eragon Shur'tugal." Then Ichigo realized that it was an elf speaking to Eragon. Eragon replied with, the rest of the formal greeting that he had taught Ichigo the previous day. Ichigo walked over to them and opened with a similar greeting/hand sign and received its reply as well. The elf looked Ichigo over and said to Eragon,

"He looks like he needs to have some training before he truly deserves the title of Shur'tugal." At this Ichigo was going to yell but Shunpo beat him to it as he rocketed out of the water hitting the elf on the side as he almost avoided the black missile. The elf was spun around, but caught himself before he could fall. At the ungraceful exchange Eragon and Ichigo both laughed before they could stop themselves, and the elf gave Eragon a dirty look. Eragon responded with,

"Well you did deserve it Vanir, and must you always insult the human Riders?" A composed look came over Vanir's face as he heard the remark. He apologized to Ichigo and the dragon, however Ichigo believed he only meant it to the dragon. Eragon watched the exchange with a hand on the hilt of Brisingr and declared that they were even and shouldn't hold a grudge. The elf just looked away and boarded the boat. Ichigo was told that he needed to go across the lake to reach the city and to use the boat.

Ichigo got in and as Vanir cast off, Eragon rode Saphira as she slipped into the water. Ichigo asks Vanir what his dislike was for. The elf then turned and replied,

"The other races each have a rider that travels the land, all but the elves. Our Queen is a Rider, but as Queen those duties make having the dragon more of a nuisance than a boon."

Ichigo was confused. He retold him what he had heard from Eragon and the elf let out a humorless laugh.

"All the races have one Rider. All but the humans. You are their third living Rider. There was Thorn that chose Murtagh and left at the fall of Galbatorix. There is Saphira, bonded to Eragon, Firnen to Queen Arya, Bolkr to Gavgon of the Urgals, and Brisnblaka to Korvin of Dwarven House Nagra." The elf paused in his recitation and turned to Ichigo.

"I am angered that of all the beings in Alagaesia the dragons seem to like you humans the most! You are the most normal of the races, Elves have magic without exception, Dwarves have long lives and are sturdier than they appear. The blasted Urgals are strong and tough, if not the most smart." The elf appeared to calm himself.

"I became the ambassador to your race to become better acquainted to what makes you humans so special, but it was in vain." The elf became silent and looked towards the shore to which they were headed. Ichigo had some questions, but decided that the time was bad to poke any more. The pair remained silent until they reached the docks of Ceunon.


	12. Colosseum

From the docks Ichigo and Eragon were led to a large building on the other side of town by Vanir, while Saphira and Shunpo looked for a place to hunt. As the dragons left Ichigo felt a sense of loneliness from their connection becoming faint.

When the group reached the structure Ichigo realized something about it. It was obviously wooden but, no matter how hard he tried, Ichigo couldn't find a seam in the wood. When he voiced this Vanir said,

"When the elves build we do not cut out timber. We instead sing the wood into what we desire. This colosseum took four years, a dozen of the best spell weavers we could find, and three dozen trees to generate this living arena." As Vanir spoke he had a tone of contempt at Ichigo's ignorance.

The group then entered the colosseum and took a right up stairs and out to the topmost ring of seats. Ichigo saw three people that together made his head spin. One was an elf with jet black hair, a small man with a golden hammer and a large beard, a dark skinned woman with parallel scars down both her arms, and a large grey skinned, pig faced beast-man with large horns protruding from his head. All but the beast-man had a form of crown on their brow. As Ichigo saw the beast man he noticed that the others were watching him carefully. He sized him up and greeted the elf, giving her the title _elda_to cover for lack of name. The small man said a word he didn't understand and said,

"Well, Nasuada I guess we both all lost the bet." At this Ichigo was puzzled. What did they mean by a bet? Eragon voiced his thoughts and laughed at the answer. Nasuada answered,

"Orik and I bet on the new Riders reaction to seeing an Urgal. I said he would draw a weapon or something of the like. Orik thought he would yell and scream help. His reaction is curious though." Ichigo was already in a bad mood having only met them for a minute. Ichigo, thinking of Komamura, Kurotsuchi, and the Espada, told then he had seen stranger things than an Urgal. Vanir cut in to his reasons to explain that the elf was their Queen, Arya, the small man was the Dwarf King Orik. The dark-skinned lady was Queen Nasuada, and the Urgal representative was Nar Garvhog and chief of his own tribe.

Eragon then told the assembled leaders what had happened on their journey. Starting with the Du Gata. The group was silent then Nasuada said,

"We must close down this years games." Nar Garvhog snorted and replied,

"No lady night-stalker, the games must continue. My people will not be peaceful if it is stopped."

"But innocents will be harmed id they attack the colosseum!" Ichigo was lead away from the proceedings by Vanir and went back to the bottom as the townsfolk went in. Ichigo overheard people talking about the year long wait and decided that the games must go on, or else the rabble would be a mob.

On the outside Ichigo asked Vanir about the different events to be held. Vanir listed off many things from running to wrestling to horseback races. Ichigo felt that he would be bored out of his mind if he had to stay for the event until Vanir mentioned swordplay. He interrupted the elf to ask him about joining the event. Vanir had a look of surprise on his face.

"Why would you want to enter the competition?"

"I want to prove that I can fight, plus it will be a distraction from the travel I was forced on." At this Vanir gave him a questioning look, but it passed and Vanir led him to a man with a pile of papers on the other side of the colosseum.

Ichigo told the man of his plans to enter while Vanir left to find someone, or so he told Ichigo. The man took a look at Ichigo and dismissed him with a wave of his hand and the words "Too young. Come back in about five years." Ichigo then slammed the booth's counter with both hands and startled the clerk. The determination in Ichigo's eyes made him feel uneasy. He sighed after a few seconds and told Ichigo to wait in the swordsman's rooms and pointed to a nearby door.

Ichigo entered and talked with a man surrounded by swords about getting one. The man looked at him and laughed. Ichigo started to be angry, then realized that the man wasn't laughing at him. The man clapped Ichigo on the back and led him to a barrel of basic swords describing its properties and weight, among other things. The man paused to take a breath and Ichigo cut in saying,

"I know what kind of blade I want." He pointed to a rack with a set of large cleaver swords that were the same basic shape of his first level Zanpakuto release. The man looked at Ichigo uncertainly, then told him to pick one up. He headed for one that was only mostly finished and had only a strip of cloth as a handle. The man tried to get him to look at the finished blades but Ichigo has set in his decision. The man gave in to his demands and gave him a sheath to hang the sword from. Ichigo then headed out to the waiting area in anticipation of his upcoming fights.

* * *

><p>Sorry about the wait. My creative writing class has really stepped up its gear.<p> 


	13. Tourney

Ichigo waited for about an hour before the games began. Once they did, he and the other fighters were brought out to the center of the arena. When they were paired up a man went to each of them and put his fingers down the sharpened edges of the blades. As he did this Ichigo realized that the blades had full edges and they would be killing each other! As the man approached he noticed a spark ran between his fingers. He got to Ichigo and the man did the same to his. When he was done Ichigo felt the blade. It was slippery and there was a buffer around it. Relieved that he wouldn't be killing, Ichigo looked at his opponent. He was a big man with a claymore, he obviously outweighed him by one hundred pounds. The look he got from him showed only ruthless bloodlust. It would be easy victory.

The official then saw that everyone was ready and blew a whistle. Ichigo was first to react. He sped forward quickly with the large blade and struck the man in the chest with the blunted edge. The man blinked, unable to see how he had been struck, and fell over with a thud. No one else had made contact with their opponent yet and paused to see the orange haired stranger with the too big blade walk away calmly from his brute of an opponent, unscathed. His opponent got up. Ichigo heard this, turned around and said, "You back for more?"

The man yelled and charged Ichigo, who ducked the first swing, parried the second, and when the man went for an overhand strike Ichigo blocked it with one hand on his blade. Their was a gasp from the crowd. Ichigo pushed against the claymore sharply, and it was torn from the man's fingers to fly end over end into the dirt twenty feet behind him, nearly hitting one of the other contestants in the gut. Before the brute could react he put the blunt blade of his sword against the brute's neck. He then said, "We're done," and walked away unmolested. No one had yet to move. After a minute one of the spectators said to, "Get on with it!" The sword fighters heeded the man's words and began their own fights.

Ichigo was against the wall when a familiar presence press against his.

"What do you want Solembum?"

'I just wanted to tell you that was some impressive swordplay you did.' Ichigo heard a purr above him and looked up to see the large Were-Cat on the ledge.

"And who do we have here?" The new voice was female and Ichigo saw a smiling face topped by frizzy hair pop over the side of the wall to look at him.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, who are you?"

"Well I'm called many things by many people some call me-" She was interupted by Ichigo.

"I'm certain you have a long, much practiced, list of titles. All to show your greatness, but I just want something to call you." She was quite taken back by that.

"Ok then mister, call me Angela."

"Well Angela, I take it your a friend of Solembum?"

"Yes, but how do you know him?"

"Well I ran into some trouble at Therinsford after being teleported away from my home to place that is nothing like were I left, I hatch a dragon, get attacked by a bunch of cultists, and discover I have magic in this body, all in a week. So how has yours been?" She eyed him speculatively, nodded once and said, "So your the one that Solembum met."

She turned to the cat to berate him, but he walked to another ledge and Angela followed him. An official walked up to Ichigo and told him something he found very interesting. Due to his obvious strength and speed he would be paired up with the elves when they came around.

Ichigo accepted.


	14. A Prophecy

The elves were in the next day's competition so Ichigo left the Colosseum to look for Eragon or Vanir. The Arms Master was impressed enough to let Ichigo keep the blade, and he walked around the town with it. He felt a tap on his shoulder and twirled to face, Angela. She smiled and said.

"A bit jumpy are we?"

"Well I'm not used to this place yet. What do you want anyway?"

"I have a proposition for you. I am willing to tell your future to you and-"

"I'm sorry lady, but I don't put much faith in palm readings, tea leaves, or any other form of future sight. I make my own path." He started to walk away when...

"It looks like you've been blown, more or less, off that path completely. Wouldn't you agree?" Ichigo stopped at this. He turned back around to argue with her, but a voice interrupted.

"My, my, my, what do we have here. What are you doing to Ichigo Angela?" It was Eragon.

"I'm giving him the same offer I gave you and your mother."

"I thought that they could walk away from that offer."

"Yes, but not dismiss it out of hand." During this exchange Ichigo grew more tense until...

"OK! I'll do the damn fortune!" The pair look at him surprised. Then Angela headed down an alley and motioned for him to follow. As moved to follow Eragon inquired about his stopped fighting.

"The official told my I was too good for humans, and to join the elves tomorrow." Eragon put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder and said,

"If you go through with this, all her fortune will see is your untimely demise."

"Why is that?"

"The elves are super strong, fast, and have a deep well of endurance."

"I too am super fast, strong, and enduring. For some training I did as a Shinigami I had to run on a treadmill for five days straight."Eragon was dumbfounded and didn't stop him a second time. As he left he shouted over his shoulder, "I went easy on the big guy!"

He followed Angela into a small hovel. He saw solembum sitting in the lap of a young woman with dark hair and a pale complexion petting him.

"He's here." Angela popped out of a side room, the only side room, and held a bag in one hand.

"Thank you Elva." She approached Ichigo and led him to the room's table. She opened the bag and took out a handful of bones in each. She closed her eyes mumbled and then shouted, "Manin! Wyrda! Hugin!" and cast the bones onto the table. Elva and Solembum stared intently at Angela as she looked at the pile before her. Ichigo felt that the words she used were from this worlds "Ancient Language" and decided that the fortune might have some validity. She stared for a full minute before she looked up to Ichigo.

"This is a strange reading. Not too difficult, but strange in what it tells. As Solembum told me you are a Rider and they live long lives, potentially forever so this symbol in a given." She points to a line with a circle on it. "These others talk of battles won and lost, at least one very soon. Big surprise with you fight tomorrow." Before Ichigo could say anything she plowed forward. "This is were it is confusing. This symbol, the black crescent moon is for evil, but it is next to the white sun, for good. They both point to the battles ahead and death, the skull, is at their back. The pattern means that good and evil will join in your battles, but not against each other. The skull means that if you decline this joining it will kill you." Ichigo remembered his Hollow and shivered. 'Will I need to use him again?'

"He won't win." The voice chilled Ichigo, for it had come from the girl Elva, who couldn't be older than twenty on the far side. Her voice had all the experience and hate on and old woman and was disturbing to say the least. He looked at her.

"What won't win?"

"You're Hollow will not consume you Ichigo. At least not yet." She went back to petting the were-cat. Ichigo rushed her and pulled her up by her arms. He yelled in her face, "How do you know about that?" as Angela yelled warning to him not to harm her. Elva laughed in his face. It was a hollow, joyless sound that chilled Ichigo.

"I help someone ad this is how it ends up. I should have known. I decided to help you because I feel peoples pain, be it physical, emotional, or conceived. I can tell you miss your friends Rukia and Orihime and you don't have Urahara to explain what you don't understand, that the battle you were in was almost certainly lost. I decided to help the fear I could. That of your evil half!" Ichigo dropped her and she went to the other room. Ichigo was emotionally dead and left, leaving Angela's apologies to land on deaf ears.


	15. Fugue

Ichigo wandered from the fortunetelling in a daze that had him more saddened than he had been since entering Alegasia. He stumbled into Eragon, who followed him to ask about what happened inside. The only thing Ichigo did in response was push off of him to continue on his way. Eragon sighed and said, "I take it that Elva talked to you about your fears?" This got Ichigo to stop and straighten. Eragon noted this and went on,

"She is my greatest regret. I gave her a blessing that turned into a curse. A curse that made her try to prevent the suffering of others. Physical or mental. I tried to fix her and failed, but now she need not help if she wishes not to, or bring out ones greatest fears. What they know as truth becomes slued and they fear everything that they do is wrong."

"But know this Ichigo. Elva is only strong in the mind. What she says holds truth only to a fault."

Ichigo interrupted with a "But she," however Eragon overrode him. "It matters not what she said because you can use this time to learn about yourself and your weaknesses. Only a fool thinks that they have none."

"Are you done about that then?" Ichigo said.

"I am."

"Then take me to where we are staying for the night. I need to be fully rested to fight the elves tomorrow."

"I still think that is a bad idea."

"Well I'm doing it so shut up about it!"

"Fine. Follow me."

* * *

><p>They had a room at an inn that has given to them by a very pleasant man that was a supporter of the Riders. When Ichigo was in his room he unpacked his bag to gather clothes for the next day and something slid out and hit the floor with a thud. He checked to see what it was, and saw that it was his Substitute Shinigami badge. He picked it up and tried to use it to turn into his Shinigami form, but nothing happened. Still disappointed he attached the badge to the hem of the shirt he choose for the next day and went to bed.<p> 


	16. Enemies

Ichigo woke to a large crash from the room's window. He shot up to see what it was, and promptly smacked his face into Shunpo's head. Rubbing his own he head analyzed the emotions that came from the dragon, surprised to find loneliness was the most prevalent emotion. It was quickly changed with happiness, but Ichigo realized that the day before he had spent little time since arrival in Ceunon with the dragon.

Eragon then burst in through the room's door with sword in hand, and sighed at the pair on the bed. "I though the Du Gata had returned." He returned the sword to its sheath and continued, "I believe I told Saphira to keep you at the clearing Shunpo. I guess that I should have known better of a recently born dragon's loneliness."

Ichigo heard a commotion in the hall outside and Eragon turned to shut the door, but his rough entry left the door with a bent hinge and a broken lock, so the small crowd that gathered saw the dragon and Ichigo.

"That's the new Rider!"

"He's the orange haired guy in yesterday's fight!"

"He cheated! He used magic yesterday!"

As more people recognized Ichigo the crowd went from curious as to the disturbance, to angry at the outcome of the previous day's fight. Eragon closed the door as best he could and leaned against it saying,

"What I said about enemies? This is what I meant. Ichigo, out the window with Shunpo, it is only the first floor."

Ichigo dressed in the clothes he had set out, grabbed the sword, and left the room through the window with Shunpo following him onto the street outside. Some early wakers saw the pair and voiced a combination of joy and disgust. Eragon opened the door inside to talk to the mob while Ichigo slipped into the side streets.

Ichigo headed towards the colosseum to hide and shelter the dragon. When he arrived he walked to the door he entered the day before and spoke to the man there.

"Were do I register for the," he paused for a moment, "the Elves." It was the same man as before and he told Ichigo which entrance to use on the outside with a hard look in his eyes. Ichigo noticed that the man wasn't looking at him, but over his shoulder to the door. Shunpo had entered and was looking around the room.

"Let's get out of here Shunpo." He left with his dragon to the entrance the man told him about and ducked inside expecting a trick. The room was full of elves talking amongst themselves in their native tongue and the few that saw him enter looked at him quizzically. When Shunpo entered behind him the room quieted entirely. Vanir stepped from the crowd and said with a sharp tone,

"What are you doing here!"

"Yesterday I beat my opponent too well, and was told to join your kind here." A third person butted in with,

"I saw him yesterday with at human's starting tourney. He left after the quickest fight I have seen. Now I know why." The room broke into whispers, Ichigo only understood the occasional "Shur'tugal" but the rest of the speech was nonsense. He approached Vanir and asked him about joining. Vanir pointed to a silver haired elf woman next to an ornate cup on a table fused to the floor. He approached the elf and stated his intentions.

The elf looked at him strangely and produced a scrap of paper and simply said "Name?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki." She scrolled out his name in a flowing script and put the paper in the cup.

"I hope you know what you are getting yourself into Rider." She said. Then she continued with, "What is the name of your dragon?"

"He's not in the fights" The elf gave him an angry look that twisted her features into a hateful mask.

"You think I would do that! You start with rudeness, and now question my judgement as well? Go away from me you." She called him a word he didn't understand as it was from their language and glared venomously. Ichigo walked away from the angered elf to an empty bench on the wall to wait for the time of the fights. Vanir picked his way towards Ichigo and sat next to him.

"You should always remember to greet an elf correctly. Otherwise-" Ichigo cut him off.

"Or they will take offense. I know, I know. I forgot OK?" Vanir looked troubled.

"I know that you have the knowledge Ichigo. You need to used it or else the elves will hate you for the rest of your life, which will be quite long now that you are a Rider."

During this exchange another person, covered head to toe in a robe entered the room and put his name into the cup himself before going to another bench to sit, unseen by either of them.

"I know I will have long life, but I wasn't the most courteous person before coming here."

"It is fine for now, but if you continue this the elves will not train you at all."

"Speaking of that, how do I make the blade of my sword protected like last time?"

"You are not to know magic until your trainers see fit to."

"I can already use some so what they say has no meaning to me."

"Well say the words 'Geuloth, Du, Knifir.' in that order and do as the man yesterday did. Repeat the words to me" Ichigo spent the next half hour going over the words with Vanir while petting and taking breaks to converse with Shunpo.

The elf that Ichigo insulted rose up to announce that the matches would begin. She spoke a few words and pairs of name came out of the cup to attach to the wall behind her. She read the first two pairs of names and the corresponding elves rose and moved to the door to the armory and then the colosseum. As Vanir was still with him he asked some questions.

"How do the names get picked?"

"Well the spell she used puts the pairs to be as evenly matched as possible to hide the fighter's strength until the ending half." Ichigo studied the wall and found that at the current rate his match would be an odd one with only him and his opponent fighting. He tried to read the name of his opponent but it was written in what he guessed to be elven and sat back with Vanir.

As the fights continued the elves talked with Ichigo and Shunpo, and this time he remembered to use the greetings to avoid putting them off. When the fights were almost done for the round he separated from the crowd that returned victorious, which included Vanir, and left Shunpo with him to go to his round. His opponent was the only elf in the room that didn't have ebony or silver hair.

The few strands that Ichigo could see were red.


	17. Shadows of Power

Ichigo entered the arena to a much more animated crowd than before. He and the other man stood on the well worn starting positions on either side of the official. The official stated the rule in a loud voice.

"First off, dull your blades now." The man's sword was thin and silvery with two cutting sides. Ichigo unsheathed his sword and applied the barrier to the edge, slightly surprised when he felt a small amount of energy leave his body. When both had complied he continued,

"This duel is until one of you submits, or until I call it over to prevent death. There is no magic used, with exception to your dulled blades. If I catch anyone using magic, they will be instantly disqualified." He checked to see if the two understood the rules, and with a nod from both he said, "Begin!"

The man moved quicker than Ichigo thought he would but still slow enough to easily parry the first blow he delivered when the met in the middle, swords clanging mutely. Ichigo swept his foot out to trip him but the man jumped over him with his sword swinging downward. Ichigo did a roll and popped up a few feet away in time to deflect another blow, this time faster than the first. Their swords stayed together for a moment longer, then they both jumped back a few feet. Ichigo rushed again and the man side stepped away. Ichigo anticipated a swing at his back and turned swinging low with his sword. He was not disappointed to see the man's sword fly over his head while he hit him a glancing blow on the shin before he cloud move out of the way.

Ichigo pushed of the ground and tackled the man before he could react and pinned him to the ground with his body. The man's hood slipped of during this and revealed a deathly pale face in a twisted rage, topped with a deep red head of hair. Ichigo's Substitute Badge let out its warning just as he man grabbed Ichigo and through him. As he sailed through the air he thought, "He can't be a hollow unless-" his impact with the wall cut his thought off short. When Ichigo got up the crowd cheered slightly before a look from the man silenced them. The man then shouted to the gathered people,

"My agents are around the building. If anyone runs, they will be killed. If anyone joins that man-" He pointed at Ichigo. "They will be killed. I am Varuk of the True Path and will kill this Rider to restore peace to magic in all of Alagaesia." The crowd panicked at his words and tried to run from the shade. Ichigo charged the man but before he could get within striking distance he felt a cold presence dig into his mind and take hold of him. He felt afraid as the shade began to choke him out of his own mind. Then he heard a pair of voices he had mixed feelings for.

"Back off." One said quietly.

"He's mine!" Another screamed out.

The shade mind was thrust from him as Zangetsu and the Hollow fought him off. Using this lull Ichigo quickly got up and raised his sword.

"Why do you have three minds?" The shade screamed at him. Ichigo felt the shade try to reenter his mind as the Zangetsu's and the Hollow's presence faded from him.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

The black bolt shot into the shade and it passed through cleanly leaving a red line down his middle while the bolt smashed into the wall of the colosseum. The shade's body started to glow and dissipate as Ichigo dropped the red sword. A terrible shriek emitted from the shade as it disappeared. Ichigo saw Shunpo and Eragon enter the area and he said to the Rider. "Killed it." Eragon gave him a look that was mixed with wonder and sadness.

"No you didn't. You just delayed him."

* * *

><p>Sorry about the Chapter mishap.<p> 


	18. Strength is Weakness

"What do you mean I didn't kill him! It was a direct hit!"

"A shade can only be killed by a direct hit to the heart, that hit merely made him incorporeal for a time."

"Well Eragon 'Shadeslayer' why didn't you help me fight it?" Ichigo countered. Eragon paused for a moment, then continued with a depressed tone.

"The most dangerous thing about a shade is that with so many spirits inside them, they can enter any mind and take hold, with little exception. I cannot risk fighting a shade as I know the name of the Ancient language."

"Well what is the matter? What does knowing what the language is called do to change anything!" At this Eragon grew angry and replied in a near yell,

"Did you learn nothing of magic when I explained it? If one knows the name of something in the Ancient Language they can do anything they want to! Galbatorix knew the word and used it to remove all magic that was not his own from his presence! The old King had a corrupt sense of justice, but in his own eyes did nought but good. If a shade were to learn the name of the language they would rule the world." Eragon seemed to calm himself before continuing. "That is why I need to find new Riders. For all of my great speed and strength I am naught but a liability in a fight against a shade."

At this news Ichigo was stunned. Eragon had show such great strength of character and a stone's resolve but at this moment looked like he was an old man filled with regret. Ichigo's anger at the Rider withered away, like a candle in a strong wind.

"I didn't know that. I-" But before Ichigo could continue his apology he felt a large thud behind him. He twirled to the disturbance to see a large green dragon with a golden ring on its front left foot, the Elf Queen in a saddle on its back. As he watched she dismounted in a graceful hop, looking around the arena, while the dragon did the same.

"Where is it? Was it killed?" Arya exclaimed.

"I hit it with a Getsuga, but it didn't hit the heart, so it will be back." The queen gave him a puzzling look.

"He has a very potent attack the split the shade asunder, but failed to kill it." Eragon said while gesturing to the damaged section of wall the Getsuga Tenshou hit.

"Ah, so the new Rider hasn't earned the title of Shadeslayer, a pity." Then to Ichigo she said, "You are lucky that the shade didn't try to enter your mind, otherwise you would be dead."

"Actually, he did." The other Riders and their dragons looked at Ichigo with an astonished look.

"You were attacked by that shade's mind, yet managed to use magic and wound him, and suffered no wounds in return. How is this possible?" Arya said in an unbelieving tone.

"Well, not entirely. The shade threw me into the wall, but i've had worse. The mind thing was do to the help of..." He paused, wondering how to tell them of the intervention, when a good distraction presented itself. The crowd had learned that the shade was disposed of and started to swarm the arena to get closer to Ichigo. "We have to get out of here."

The Riders looked at each other for a moment, then Eragon said,

"This is not over Ichigo, you will tell me how you escaped as soon as we are in Du Weldenvarden's boundaries. Saphira grab him."

Before Ichigo could voice objection the blue dragon lifted him up and, with her Rider on her back, flew out of the colosseum and towards the thick forests to the east.


	19. Endurance of the Shinigami

Ichigo was kicking and yelling, trying to get loose of the dragon that was holding him.

'Don't move around like that! I might drop you!' Saphira says to Ichigo, trying to calm him.

However Ichigo ignores her, struggling more.

"Land as soon as possible Saphira. We are approaching the barrier."

She looks forward and, seeing that it is true, glides to a landing in a remote clearing close to the magic barrier around the forest. There was evidence of a fire being ther at some point and the clearing had just recently been reclaimed by nature. She is soon joined by Firnen and Shunpo, the former gliding gracefully in. Shunpo however jumped straight for Ichigo and tried to free his body from Saphira's claws. The dragon let him go and Ichigo scrambled from the dragon in haste. Eragon and Arya dismounted from their dragons and advanced on Ichigo while he was slowly getting to his feet.

"How did you fight off that shade Ichigo." Asks Eragon, none to pleased about being interrupted earlier. Ichigo Takes a deep breath and begins.

"Remember when I was telling you my powers"

"Yes."

"Well I didn't tell you about one part of them, a part that allows me to become stronger then the Ban Kai."

"Wait you told me that your 'Ban Kai' was the strongest ability you possessed. Why would you lie about having another ability?" A pained expression is on Ichigo's face at the question.

"Well, I hate this power and when I heard about sorcery I figured that you would never accept this power hate me for it." Arya makes a move to ask something but Ichigo cuts him off.

"Wait, hold you questions I'm almost done." Arya debates this for a second, then says,

"Fine, but make it quick boy."

"Thank you, I will. I hate this power because it is evil. It is called Hollowfication." Arya seeing that Ichigo is done then asks.

"First, why would we think it is sorcery? Second, why do you find this power evil. Finally, how did it keep the shade from immobilizing you?" Under the questioning gazes of the Riders Ichigo begins his explanation.

"Well to answer the first two the ability of Hollowfication involves letting an evil part of my spirit come out to help me fight. I thought it would be seen as sorcery as I also loose a bit of myself and become more violent as the Shades do.

"The reason I could fight the Shade was that my Zanpakuto and my Hollow surfaced when the Shade entered my mind. The Shade wasn't prepared for them and was driven out long enough for me to attack. Now that Iv'e answered your questions can you stop doing that." The two looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean by 'that'?" Eragon says as Ichigo looks wondered.

"So it's not your guys who are draining my strength?" Ichigo can tell they aren't the ones doing it and thinks about what could be doing it when he remembered something Vanir told him of magic.

"I've figured it out! I forgot to end the spell on the sword I left at the arena!" The older dragons and their Riders looked at him in astonishment.

"You have been keeping that spell up this whole time!" exclaims Arya. "End it now! Say letta!"

"I know that!" Ichigo released the magic with the word and immediately felt the draining stop. "Ok then what was the big deal with the surprised looks on your faces." The Riders look at each other then Eragon answers with,

"Ichigo, magic takes an increasing amount of energy the further you are away from the target."

"Yes, I know that. That's how I figured it out."

"The increase becomes even greater the further you are to the point that lifting a pebble a mile away could cause someone to loose consciousness if they are not strong enough. That spell requires little energy to maintain because the sword is in your hands"

"Yeah, and?"

"We are now twelve miles away from that arena. You should be dead."


	20. The Sundering

"What do you mean I should be dead?"

"He means that you have more endurance than any elf, possibly even a medium sized dragon for the shape your in. You do not seem to be tired at all" Arya

"I am tired, just not enough to show it."

"Well we should go into my kingdom before we are found."

"I don't understand. Why those tree's would hide us any better than the ones we are in now? And why did we need to stop flying?" The Riders and their dragons moved to an opening in the trees while Eragon explained.

"The Forest Kingdom of Du Weldenvarden is the ancient home of the elves, protected by so many years of protective spells that no one alive today knows them all. Among them is one that dispels all magic , and dragons do not fly with magic alone. That part of the barrier ends at the treetops to prevent the recasting of peaceful and protective spells on those who enter."

"Well what would prevent the Du Gata or one of their Shades from just walking in here?" At this Arya said,

"There are a great many spells dealing with them. The main spells being those of banishment. Those Shades that get to close to the barrier will burn, those that attempt to cross it will have the spirits loosed from them. If they survive that, the spirits they had imprisoned would likely turn on the Shade and destroy them."

"Those spirits sound very strong to do that." Eragon replied with,

"They can do a great many things Ichigo. Ayra and I were out in the plains to the south, on the run from pursuers during the war, when some spirits came to us. One touched a flower and turned it to gold."

"That sounds amazing!"

"That was the most simple thing about it. The flower was still alive! I returned there two years ago and there were about thirty of them. I ended up taking one for decoration in the Riders city. It has taken quite nicely in the terrain and is starting to spread. The mountain in which the city is built will be beautiful when they truly take hold."

But Ichigo did not here the last part of Eragon's description of the Rider's city. His face had started to grow hot as they walked and just as the elven city came into view he felt a wave of pain across his body and he passed out.

The last thing he heard was the cry of alarm from his dragon.

* * *

><p>Sorry about the shorter-than-usual chapter.<p>

However the next is much longer!


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